Thermometric titrating apparatus



Dec. 8, 1964 J. c. WASILEWSKI 3,160,477

THERMOMETRIC TITRATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fawn-karma:

| I I I I I I I A BI VoLuM: or T/rmmr FIE-L5 III/l1 I 7 I I I I r 11 684065 Hun-5n 15 (Ian-nae TI TRANT ficnkeg 7 J'tnnr/ylrf B44, I 541M] INVENTOR. F I E 1 Jose/ 14 Chin/1.5mm

YMMZ M ATTORNY Dec. 8, 1964 J. c. WASILEWSKI 3,

THERMOMETRIC TITRATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. F I E 2 JEISEPH C. h/nsluwsxl A T'T'ORNEY Dec. 8, 1964 J. c. WASILEWSKI THERMOMETRIC TITRATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 29, 1962 INVENTOR.

F'IELE Jose-PH C. h/ASILEWSKI /fi wm 1M apparatus of FIGURE 1.

United vStates Patent Md. Filed Jan. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 169,580

14 Claims. (Cl. 23-253) This invention relates to titration apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for use in thermoanalytical titrimetry for measuring heats of reaction during a titration.

A main object of the. invention is to provide a novel and improved thermometric titrating apparatus for use in measuring the heats of reaction during a titration rather than the exchange of free energy which characterizes conventional types of titration, such as Lpotentiometric titration, conductometric titration, colorimetric titration, and the like. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved thermometric titrating apparatus which may be employed to rapidly and accurately analyze many reactions which cannot be easily analyzed by conventional titrating techniques and which relies on the measurement of heats of reaction during a titration rather than the exchange of free energy, the apparatus being relatively simple in construction, being easy to operate, and providing accurate and positive indications of the end points of titrations, as well as other valuable information relating to the reactions being studied.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved thermometric titrating apparatus which includes an adiabatic chamber constructed of relatively inexpensive but rugged materials, which is easy to manipulate, which provides accurate control of the rate of supply of titrant, and which is provided with means for accurately controlling temperature conditions in the titration chamber.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view, partly in vertical cross-section, of an improved thermometric titration apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. 7

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the titration FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE :2, with the titrant burette removed.

. 3,160,477 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 the end point is well-defined. This and other similar reactions are discussed in an article entitled-Thermochemical Titrations by Joseph Jordan, Record of Chemical Progress, vol. 19, No. 4 (1958).

Thermometric titrations depend upon both free'energy and entropy changes, whereas potentiometric titrations depend on free energy changes only. A thermometric titration is one which is performed in an adiabatic'system and which yields a plot of temperature of the titrated solution versus volume of titrant added thereto, for exam ple, as is illustrated in FIGURE 9. The general procedure to be followed is to add titrant from a the-rmostatted burette to a solution (titrate) contained within a thermally insulated vessel while observing or measuring the FIGURES 1 to 5, 11 generally designates one form of an improved titration apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. The apparatusllcomprises a supporting housing 12 containing theelectrical circuit components of the apparatus, said housing being provided with'the downwardly and forwardly sloping con trol panel 13 on which the electrical control members of the device are mounted. Rigidly secured to the rear portion of the top wall 15 of housing 12 is the vertical supporting post 14. Secured on the forward portion of said top wall 15 is a rectangular block 16.

Designated at 17 is an upstanding rectangular housing having vertical side walls 18, 19, a vertical rear wall 20, and a horizontal top wall 21. Housing 17 is provided with a front wall segment 22 which extends downwardly from top wall 21 and which terminates a substantial distance above the bottom plane of the housing, so that said housing is open at its lower front portion. The block 16 is received in the lower end of the housing, and the bottom marginal portions of side walls 18, 19 and rear wall 20 are secured respectively to the side and rear edges of block 16, thus securing housing 17 in a vertical upstanding position on the top wall 15 of the supporting housing 12.

Slidably disposed in the lower portion of housing 17 is a rectangular block 23. The side walls 18 and 19 of said housing are formed withlvertical slots.24 through which extend respective headed clamping screws 25, 25

which are threadedly engaged in the intermediate portions of the side edges of block 23, whereby the block FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic wiringdiagram of the temperature measuring circuit employed in the titration apparatus of FIGURES 1 to 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in vertical cross-section, of a modified thermometric titration apparatus according to the present invention employing gravity feed of the titrant.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectionaldetail view taken substantially on the line 88 of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 9- is a graph showing a typical thermometric titration curve.

23 for vertical movement between its elevated full line a may be clamped in its elevated position, shown infull line view in" FIGURE 1. a

Rigidly secured centrally to the underside of block 23 is a depending vertical guide rod 26 which extends slid ably through a guide bushing 27 secured in block 16 and extending through wall 15. Rod 26 guides the block position and its lowered dotted view position illustrated in FIG. 1.

Secured on block 23 is a thin-walled receptacle 28, of

thin'metal, aluminum foil, or the like, containing a mass tain the titrate solution. Secured in the upper portion'of housing 17 is another mass 30 of rigid heat-insulating material, suchas Styrofoam, or the like, the bottom plane of the material 30 being located well above the Many reactions cannot be rapidly and accurately ineasured by conventional methods of titration. For exam- However, if the titration is performed thermochemically,

level of the bottom edge of front wall segment 22, as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus, with the block 23 clamped in its elevated full line positionv of FIGURE 1', the top surface of heat-insulating mass .31 is in contact with the H :bottom surfacev of heat-insulating mass 30, and the beaker 29 is substantially completelyvsurrounded by the heat-"1 insulating material. .When the clampingscrews 25, 25

are released, the block 23 way be lowered to its dotted tionof block 23, the top surface of mass 31 is a substantial distance below the bottom edge of front wall segment 22, allowing free access to the beaker 29from the front of the apparatus;

The top wall 21 is centrally apertured, and the ing sulating mass 30 is formed witha central bore 32 suitably shaped to receive the depending dispensing reservoir portion 33 of an automatic dispensing burette assembly 34, which may be substantially similar to the titration burette assembly shownin U. S. Patent No. 2,925,198

saidthermistor being sensitive to the temperature of the titrant in said reservoir.. The thermistor 36 is provided with a pair of lead wires 37 and 38 extending sealingly through the wall of the burette and being contained in" 7 a cable 39 extending upwardly along the burette and out wardly through the top end of the bore 32 adjacent the burette clamping connector 40. t

A second thermistor unit 41'is mountedin the heatinsulating mass and depends from its bottom surface in a position to be received in beaker 29, when said beaker is in its elevated positionshown in FIGURE 1. The thermistor unit 41 is provided with the lead wires 42 and 43.

An electric heating element 44 is secured in the heatinsulating mass 30 and depends from its bottom surface in a position to be received in the beaker 29 when the beaker is in its elevated position, as shown in FIGURE 1. The heating element 44 is provided with the lead wires 45 and 46, and is connected to a suitable source of current, not shown, through a manually operated control switch 47 mounted on panel 13.

Designated'at 48 is a stirring motor which is mounted on the top arm 49 of a right-angled inclined supporting bar 56 secured to the rear wall of housing 17. The motor 48 is drivingly coupled to an inclined stirrer shaft 51 which extends through the side wall 19. and through the lower portion of mass 30, said shaft carrying a convenv tional stirrer 52 in a position to bereceived in beaker 29 when the beaker is in its elevated position shown in FIGURE 1. The leadwires 53 and 54 of motor 48 are connected to a suitable current source through a control switch, not shown. r 1

The titration burette assemblyi34 includes a counter 55 having a resetting knob 56 by means of which the counter may be set to zero at the beginning of a titration operation. The driving motor of the assembly 34 is of a constant-speed type, and the motor speed'may be'adjusted to a desired value by means of .a potentiometer provided with a control knob 57. A two-pole, three-position switch 58 is provided on the assembly 34 to control the direction of rotation of the shaft of the driving motor of assembly 34, as is fully described in US. Patent No. 2,925,198.

. 4 Q 69, mounted on panel 13. The pole 70 of switch 69 is connected to junction 60.

7 Connected in series between junctions, 59 and 62 are a fixed resistor 71, a first balance rheostat 72 and a second balance rheostate 73. The rheostats 72 and 73 are of the direct-indicating type,and are provided with resistance-value indicating counters 74 and 75 to provide readings which may be employed, in conjunction with a calibration chart, to determine absolute temperature values in the titrationvessel 29, as will-be presently described.

A potentiometer 76 has its winding connected in series withra constant voltage source, such as a battery 77, and a control switch 78. One terminal of said winding is eonnected'by a wire'79 to the junction 60, which may be grounded, as shown. The adjustable contact 80 of the meter 76 is also of the direct-indicating type and is provided with the indicating counter 81, whose reading is thereby in accordance with the value of voltage applied to the bridge input terminals 59 and "60. when switch 78 is closed.

7 With the bridge set to provide a given sensitivity, namely, with potentiometer 76 adjusted to provide a given input voltage, the balance rheostats 72 and 73 may be employed to settherecorder pen at a desired point on the recorder scale. Also, by referring the combined readings of the counters 74 and 75 to a calibration chart for the instrument,.' absolute temperature readings of the temperature in the beaker 29 can be determined.

7 'In a typical procedure, titrate solution is placed in the beaker 29, and the blockv 23 is then elevated and locked in the position of FIGUREjl'. The titrant temperature is measured by operating switch 69 to the Titranfposition, which causes pole 70 to engage contact 68"and which therefore'connects thermistor 36 across. the bridge junctions 61 and 60L The'titr'ate temperature isthen measwhen an exothermic reaction is being studied, a small temperature slightly above the titrant temperature, for

device 34, the stirrer motor 48 being energized to'jinsure" thorough mixing of the titrant with thetitrate. The reaction produces a temperature'rise in the beaker which is shown by the recorder, for example, by the rising'po'rtion sharp' 'end point 83 is indicated upon completion. of v the reaction,since when the reaction no longer evolves 55, which may be calibrated sons to be'directsfeadi'n'g in volumetric units The temperature-measuring circuit of the apparatus 11 is shown in FIGURE 5, and comprises a Wheatstone bridge having the input junctions 59 and andthe tional recorder.

. Respective fixed resistors retina 66 are conn'e'cte'd across junctions 59, 61 and 62,..60,1Edefining two opposing arms The lead wires 43' and 38 .are connected torespective fixed icontacts 67 and"'618'of;a two-position selector switch heat, subsequent addition of titrant causes a cooling of the beaker, since *the titrant is rat a re lativ,ely low tern.- perature, as sliown-bythe portion 84 of the curve of P1 01159. I I

The volume of titrant added betweenthe starting point 850i the titration and the end point 83 can be determined from the counter 55. This volume can also be 'determineddire ctly from the curve of FIGURE 9, since 7 both the device and the recorder strip are driven at a constant speed, enabling the recorder strip to be calibrated directly in volumetric units, whereby the volume or" titrant ,or the Whe'atstone bridge; The lead'wires .42'and37 of, thermistors 41 and -36.are connected to the junction 61::

added duringthe titration will be represented by the dis- :tance between-the pointsjA andBin FIGURE 9.

,The heating element 44 maybe employedias a means .of 'calibrating th efidevice, .With the resistance of-the fh'eate'r known, a definite: voltage may be applied thereto 'for a caretully measured time interval," with the heater ."immersed in a liquidyiri the beaker. 29 of known-volume,

specific heat and density. By measuring the temperature rise of the liquid, the percentage of heat lost due to inefliciency of the adiabatic chamber can be calculated.

The heater 44 may be employed to warm the beaker solution, when required, the equilibrate the temperature thereof with that of the titrant, and to slighly elevate the temperature of the beaker solution, as above mentioned, to provide a sharp end point when an exothermic reaction is being studied.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of the inventionwherein gravimetric feed of titrant is employed instead of forced feed. In this arrangement, the titrant burette, shown at 33', is mounted in a vertical bore 32' formed in the upper mass 30 of heat-insulating material, the burette 33' being supplied with titrant by gravity from an external supply reservoir 86 supported vertically by a conventional spring clamp assembly 87 extending from and suitably fastened to the post 14. The reservoir 86 is provided with a bottom discharge conduit 88 which includes a solenoid valve 89 and which is connected to a conduit 90 leading to one inlet port 91 of a three-way valve 92 provided in the lower portion of burette 33. As shown in FIGURE 8, the body of valve 92 is formed with the upper port 93, communicating with the upper main storage space of the burette 33' and with the lower port 94 communicating with the lower discharge portion 95 of the burette. The valve is formed with the horizontal bore 96 communicating with the ports 91, 93 and 94, and is provided with a valve rotor 97 shaped to provide selective communication between port 93 and either'of ports 91 or 94, respectively, for filling the burette and for subsequently feeding titrant to the lower discharge portion 95 thereof. I

- 'Valve rotor 97 is provided with an external operating knob 98 which is disposed adjacent the front wall segment 22 and which is provided witha spring arm 99 formed at. its outer end with an inwardly directed indentation or detent portion 100 which is engageable either in a refill locking aperture 101 formed in wall segment 22,

or in any one of an arcuate series of feed apertures 102 formed insaid wall segment, the apertures 101 and 102 being at the same radial distance from the axis of knob 98. When yieldable detent arm 99 is engaged with the aperture 101, rotor 97 is positioned to connect port 91 to port 93, allowing the burette 33 to be filled with titrant from reservoir 86 when solenoid valve -89'is opened. When the knob 98 is rotated to engage the indentation 100 of yieldable detent arm 99 with a selected one of the feed apertures-102, the titrant will gravitate from the burette 33' through the discharge portion 95 thereof into the beaker 29 at an accurately predetermined rate, depending upon which aperture 102 is engaged, since each aperture 102 represents a different definite discharge orifice area between rotor 97 and port 94.

An accurately known volume of titrant will therefore gravitate into beaker 29 in a given time interval, and since the recorder strip moves at a constant speed,'the recorder strip may be calibrated directly in volumetric units, as in the case of the previously described form of the invention.

In the arrangement of FIGURES 6 and 7, the stirrertions within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A thermometric titrator comprising a support, a titrant burette mounted in the upper portion of said support, vertically slidable support means in the lower portion of the support, a titrate beaker on said support means in a position vertically aligned with said burette and movable to a position subjacent the burette when said support means is elevated, means defining a substantially adiabatic chamber enclosing said beaker when said support means is elevated, and temperature-sensitive means depending from said support in a position to enter the beaker when said support means is elevated to measure the temperature in said chamber.

2. A thermometric titrator comprising a support, a titrant burette mounted in the upper portion of said support, vertically slidable support means in the lower portion of the support, a titrate beaker on said support means in a position vertically aligned with said burette and movable to a position subjacent the burette when said support means is elevated, means defining a substantially adiabatic chamber enclosing said beaker when said support means is elevated, and temperature-sensitive means depending from said support in a position to enter the beaker when said support means is elevated to measure thetemperature in said chamber, and means on the support to apply heat tothe contents of said beaker.

' 3. A thermometric titrator comprising a support, a titrant burette mounted in the upper portion of said support, vertically slidable support means in the lower portion of the support, a titrate beaker on said support means in a position vertically alignedwith said burette and movable to a position subjacent the burette when said support means is elevated, means defining a sub stantially adiabaticchamber enclosing said beaker when said support means is elevated, means tomeasure the temperature in the burette, and temperature-sensitive means depending from said support inra. position to enter the beaker when said support means is'elevated to meas ure the temperature in said chamber.

4. A'thermometric titratoncomprising a support, a titrant burette mounted in the upper portion of said support, vertically slidable support means in the lower portion of the support, a titrate beaker on said support means in a position verticallyaligned withsaid burette and movable to a position subjacent the burette when said support means is elevated, means to releasably secure said support means in an elevated position, means defining a substantially adiabatic chamber enclosing said beaker when said support means is secured in said ele-' vated position, and temperature-sensitive means depending from said support in a position to enter the beaker when said support means is elevated to measure the tem-.

peratureinsaid chamber. Y

5. A thermometric titrator comprising a support, a

titrant burette mounted in the upper portion of saidsuppending from said support in a position to enter thetbeaker when'said support means is elevated to measure thetemperature in said chamber, and means on the support to 1 apply heat to the contents of said beaker.

6. A thermometric titrator comprising a Support, a titrant burette mounted in the upper portion of said'support, means to discharge titrant from said burette at a predetermined rate, vertically slidable support means in the lower'portion of the support, a titrate beaker on said said elevated position, .means to measure the tempera-' ture in the burette, temperature-sensitive means depending from said support in a position to enter the beaker when said support means is elevated to measure the temperature in said chamber, and 'means'on -the support to apply heat to the contents of said beaker.

7. A thermometric titrator comprising .a vertical support including a mass of heat-insulating material in its upper portion, a titrant burette in Said upper portion surrounded by said material, a second mass of heat-insulating' material slidably mounted in the lower portion of said support, a titratebeaker in said second mass opening at the top portion of said second mass, means to releasably secure said second mass in an elevated position with the top of the second massv adjacent the bottom of said first mass and with the beaker in a position to receive titrant from the burette, whereby the beaker is enclosed in a substantially adiabatic chamber, and temperature-sensitive means depending from said first mass openingat the top portion of said second mass,

mass of heat-insulating material ina position to enter the beaker when said second mass is raised to said elevated position to measure the temperature in said beaker. 8. The structure of claim 7, and means to measure the temperature. in the burette. i

9. The structure of claim 7,' and a heating element depending from said first-named mass in a position to be received in said beaker when the second mass is in said elevated position. 7 1 i f .10. A thermometric titrator comprising 'a vertical sup-.

port including a mass of heat-insulating material inits' upper portion, ,a .titrant burette in said upper portion.

means to releasably secure said second mass in an elevated position with the top of the second mass adjacent theflbottomoi said first mass and with the beakerin a 'position to receive titrant from the burette, whereby the beaker is enclosed in a substantially adiabatic chamber, and temperature-sensitive means depending from" said first mass of heat-insulatingmaterial in a position to enter the beaker when saidsecond mass is raised to said elevated position to measure the temperature in said beaker. j

I 1 2. A thermometric titrator comprising a vertical support including a mass of heat-insulating material in its upper portion, a titrant burette in said upper portionsurrounded by said materiaL means to discharge titrant from said burette at a predetermined rate, a second mass of heat-insulating material slidably mounted in the lower portion of said support, a titrate beaker in said second mass opening at the top portion of said second mass, means to releasably secure said second mass in an elevated position with the top of the second mass adjacent the bottom of said first mass and with the beaker in a position to receive titrant from the burette whereby the beaker is enclosed 'in a substantially adiabatic chamber, means to measure the temperature in the burette, a heating element, means to support said heating element in a position to be received in said beaker when the second mass is in said elevated position, and temperature-sensitive means depending from said first mass of heat-insulatingmaterial in a position to enter the beaker'when' said second mass is raised to said elevated position to continuously measure the temperature in said beaker.

be received in-said beaker when the second mass is in said elevated position.

surrounded byfsaid material, a second mass of heat:

insulating material slidably mounted in they lower ,po'rtion of said support, a titrate beaker in said second mass opening at the top'portion ofsaid second mass, means to releasably secure said second mass in an elevated posi-. tion with the top of the second. mass adjacent the bot: tom of said-first mass and with the beaker in a position to receivetitrant from the burette, whereby the beaker isenclosed in'a, substantially adiabatic chamber, means to measure the temperatl ie in the burette, a heating 13. Thestructureof claim 7, and a motor-driven stirrer mounted on said support and having a stirring element depending from said first-named mass in a position to 14'. Incornbination with the structure of claim 7', an

electrical heating element depending from said first- I named mass in aposition to' be received in saidbeaker when the second mass is-in said elevated position, and a motor-driven stirrer mounted on said support and hav- 7 ing a stirring element depending from said first-named element, means to, support said heatingelement in a position to be received in said beaker when the second mass is in said elevated positiomand temperature-sense tive. means depending from said first mass of-heat-insulat: I

ing material in a position to enter'the. beaker when said 11. A thermometric titrator comprising a vertical supi Re. 19,717

mass in a position to be received in said beaker-"when the second mass is in said elevated position.

References Citedin the file of this patent I 2,925,198 1960 V 2,955,025 n 1960 v 2,546,770 Morey Mar. 1961 port including 'a mass of 'heatainsulating material in its upper portion, a titrant burettein said upper portion surrounded by said materialnmeans to discharge titrant from said burette ata predetermined, rate, a, second mass,

of heat-insulating material slidably mounted in the lower portion 'of said support, aftitrate beaker'in said second I V a OTHER REFERENCES Keil-y et al.: Analytical Chemistry, vol. 28, No. 8 ,"pp.

1294-7 (August 1956), Amer. Chem. Soc., Washington,

Jordan? Record of Chemical Progress, vol. 19, No.4, pp. 19321 3.1(Decer nber 1958), Wayne State Univ: Press,

' Detroit, Michigan. I 

1. A THEERMOMETRIC TITRATOR COMPRISING A SUPPORT, A TITRANT BURETTE MOUNTED IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT, VERTICALLY SLIDABLE SUPPORT MEANS IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SUPPORT, A TITRATE BEAKER ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN A POSITION VERTICALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID BURETTE AND MOVABLE TO A POSITION SUBJACENT THE BURETTE WHEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS IS ELEVATED, MEANS DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY ADIABATIC CHAMBER ENCLOSING SAID BEAKER WHEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS IS ELEVATED, AND TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE MEANS DEPENDING FROM SAID SUPPORT IN A POSITION TO ENTER THE BREAKER WHEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS IS ELEVATED TO MEASURE THE TEMPERATURE IN SAID CHAMBER. 